The College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University (CVM-MSU) is requesting a five-year renewal of the currently funded one-year-long intensive research training program for exceptional veterinary students in the area of hypothesis-based biomedical research. This request specifically addresses the national need for more veterinarians to be trained in basic biomedical research in the areas of comparative medicine and pathology. Although the current training grant is only in the second year of three years of funding, early indicators of success include the synergy demonstrated between the current summer research program (funded by NIH and Merck-Merial) and the high level (100%) participation of the trainees in combined D.V.M./M.S. or D.V.M.-Ph.D. graduate programs. Only the best researcher-trainers have been selected from the CVM and other participating colleges at MSU, and they have been grouped into five areas of research excellence to provide the best training environment: 1) hypertension;2) toxicology;3) food safety and emerging infectious diseases;4) comparative medicine and molecular genetics;and 5) mechanisms of non-infectious respiratory disease. Required coursework includes statistics and a seminar course in comparative medicine and integrative biology. Additional coursework is under the direction of the graduate advisory committee. Training is provided in scientific integrity and the responsible conduct of research. Efforts will be made to recruit veterinary students from other colleges of veterinary medicine and a plan is in place to ensure that minority students have access to this research training program. A goal for all students in the program is to present an abstract of their research at a national or international scientific meeting, publish the results of their research in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, and present their research results at the annual CVM Phi Zeta Research Day. In addition, an optional 4-8-week summer research training experience will be offered at the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which will provide selected students with the opportunity for an off-campus research experience at a world-class basic science laboratory addressing human health issues.